26 Words & Music • Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum

WORKSHEET Theme and Message

Name: ______Date: ______

1. Listen to “Forever and Ever, Amen” and “Love Stinks.” Read along below.

2. Answer the questions found on the second page of the worksheet.

Forever and Ever, Amen Love Stinks Paul Overstreet / Don Schlitz Seth Justman / Peter Wolf

You may think that I’m talking foolish You love her (Love stinks) You’ve heard that I’m wild and I’m free But she loves him Love stinks yeah yeah You may wonder how I can promise you now And he loves somebody else (Love stinks) This love, that I feel for you, always will be You just can’t win Love stinks yeah yeah And so it goes I’ve been through diamonds You’re not just time that I’m killing Till the day you die And I’ve been through I’m no longer one of those guys This thing they call love minks As sure as I live this love that I give It’s gonna make you cry I’ve been through it all Is gonna be yours until the day that I die – oh, baby I’ve had the blues (Love stinks) I’m gonna love you forever, forever and ever, amen The reds and the pinks Love stinks yeah yeah As long as old men sit and talk about the weather One thing for sure (Love stinks) As long as old women sit and talk about old men Love stinks yeah yeah (Love stinks) Love stinks yeah yeah Love stinks, love stinks If you wonder how long I’ll be faithful (Love stinks) Yeah yeah I’ll be happy to tell you again Love stinks yeah yeah (Love stinks) I’m gonna love you forever and ever, forever and ever, amen (Love stinks) [repeat] They say time takes its toll on a body Love stinks yeah yeah Makes a young girl’s brown hair turn grey (Love stinks) But honey, I don’t care, I ain’t in love with your hair Love stinks yeah yeah And if it all fell out, well, I’d love you anyway Two by two and side by side fi Th Love’s gonna nd you yes it is ey say that time can play tricks on a memory, You just can’t hide make people forget things they knew. You’ll hear it call well, it’s easy to see it’s happening to me I’ve already forgotten every woman but you – oh, darling Your heart will fall Then love will fly I’m gonna love you forever, forever and ever, amen It’s gonna soar As long as old men sit and talk about the weather I don’t care for any Casanova thing As long as old women sit and talk about old men All I can say is (Love stinks) If you wonder how long I’ll be faithful Love stinks yeah yeah well, just listen to how this song ends (Love stinks) I’m gonna love you forever and ever, forever and ever, amen. Love stinks yeah yeah

THEME AND MESSAGE Words & Music • Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum 27

WORKSHEET Theme and Message (continued)

Name: ______

THEME QUESTIONS:

1. What is the theme of “Forever and Ever, Amen”? What is your evidence?

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2. What is the theme of “Love Stinks”? What is your evidence?

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3. What is the message of “Forever and Ever, Amen”?

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4. What is the message of “Love Stinks”?

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5. Underline evidence in the lyrics of both songs to support your answers for questions 3 and 4.

THEME AND MESSAGE